Lismore Lumiere (Pix in the Stix) 1st to 4th June 2012

Lismore Lumiere, Lismore's first Festival of Film was, to quote the attractive brochure "an exciting new cinema extravaganza" held
over the long hot holiday weekend in June. The event was a lengthy collaboration with
Pix in The Stix (a volunteer run community cinema from East Linton who are
successfully bringing films into remoter areas) and a group of talented islanders – Sarah Campbell, Christina Cass, Dot Hay,
Hazel MacCormick, and Marlene MacKinnon. The festival, as the enthusiastic audiences soon discovered, was a great deal more than a few
films on a big screen. To start with there were cocktails and canapés on arrival, a wide ranging film selection for all ages,
a transformed hall with cosily arranged seating around tables, themed
programmes with dressing up encouraged, and an intermission with a cinema pianist, ice creams, hamburgers and, of course, popcorn.
The result was it became a community event where socialising was as important as the film, which is not the normal cinema experience.
It was ceremoniously opened on Friday evening when Morag Fowler, the first to arrive, cut the golden ribbon and the first film
The Help began to roll. A midnight performance of
The Rocky Horror Picture Show followed for which the audience were invited
to dress up and even offered props in goody bags. Saturday offered matinees for children,
Chipwrecked and
Journey 2: Mysterious Island in 3D, and a red carpet event with
great frocks in the evening for a screening of
The Artist with a special appearance by Buzz the lookalike artist dog.
The house was packed on Sunday for Lismore's own Port Ramsay – Cradle of Master Mariners the premiere of a film about the heyday
of the sailing smacks in which Mary MacDougall interviewed three retired Master Mariners – Duncan Black, Johnnie McFadyen and
Calum MacCorquodale. (This can be seen daily on the small screen at the Museum). And to follow – what else but
Whisky Galore served with a dram.
The Descendants was Sunday evening's film and on Monday there was
The Secret of Kells for children in the morning and
The King's Speech served with cream teas (a nod to the Jubilee) in
the afternoon. Such was the success of this event that the organisers hope to continue to show films on a regular basis so watch this site
for details and of course the usual notice boards. Pix in the Stix were also filming the event and this film will be available later in
the year.